World System Theory Flashcards, test questions and answers

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What is World System Theory?

World System Theory is a macro-level approach to understanding the dynamics of global capitalism and its historical development. It was initially developed by Immanuel Wallerstein in the 1970s, and has since been refined and expanded upon by numerous scholars. The theory posits that global capitalism is composed of a series of interconnected core, semi-peripheral, and peripheral zones which are characterized by various levels of economic and political development. These zones are linked together by expansive networks of trade, finance, labor migration, communication technologies and military power.The World System Theory provides an analytical framework for understanding how global capitalism works at different times in history. It emphasizes that the core states control the means of production while exploiting peripheral regions to sustain their own economic growth. This exploitation often occurs in the form of unequal exchange between countries where underdeveloped nations provide cheap labor or natural resources while developed nations receive manufactured goods or services produced with greater efficiency or technological sophistication. Additionally, this framework also highlights how states utilize imperialism to maintain their domination over other regions through political coercion or military aggression as well as ideological hegemony via media outlets such as Hollywood films or news publications like the New York Times. In addition to examining how global capitalism functions at different moments in time, World System Theory also considers its larger implications for social inequality and power imbalances between states within a world system context. For example , it points out how certain changes in economic activity can lead to increased wealth for powerful countries while poorer nations remain impoverished due to lack of access to resources , investment capital , markets , technology , etc. Similarly , it also reveals how poverty within weaker countries can be used as leverage by stronger ones. In essence , World System Theory helps us make sense of why some areas have higher levels of wealth than others despite having similar levels of available resources. Finally , scholars have applied World System Theory to consider current issues such as climate change or migration flows across borders. This approach has helped shed light on how certain actions taken by powerful actors can create ripple effects throughout an entire world system illustrating both potential opportunities for cooperation but also potential sources for conflict among different nations. By considering multiple factors such as geography (i.e., proximity) geopolitical dynamics (i.e., alliances) economy (i.e., investment patterns) culture (i.e., cultural norms ) this theoretical framework helps us understand how diverse elements interact with one another when considering international relations more broadly.